Quick changeover method and apparatus for calender apparatus

A method of exchanging a plurality of calender rollers with different rollers in a calendering system having a plurality of calendering apparati, more than one calendering apparatus having at least one calender roller that is replaced by a different roller and having axially aligned first and second supports between which a calender roller to be exchanged is clamped, the method comprising the steps of:

• establishing a staging area containing a plurality of different rollers to be exchanged for the plurality of calender rollers to be exchanged in the calendering system;
• transporting the plurality of different rollers with a transfer mechanism to the calendering system at one time;
• grasping the rollers to be exchanged in the transfer mechanism;
• unclamping the rollers to be exchanged from their first and second respective supports;
• indexing the transfer mechanisms;
• clamping the different rollers between respective first and second supports of each calender apparatus;
• and
• with the transfer mechanism, transporting the grasped rollers to an area away from the calendering apparati.

A calendering apparatus for forming elastomeric components, the apparatus comprising:

• a frame, the frame having first and second ends, the second end being slidably movable relative to the first end;
• at least two generally cylindrical rollers, each cylindrical roller being hollow and having a first and second ends, the first and second ends being conically tapered;
• a means for clamping and supporting the calender rollers at their first and second ends, the calender rollers being rotatably supported and positioned adjacent one another with their respective axes parallel to one another, the clamping and supporting means being movable in the axial direction of the rollers to vary the clamping force;
• and
• a means for rotating at least one of the rotatable clamping and supporting means.